Unimaginable Perseverance	
		
		Brooke Ellison is a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down,
and she's running for NY State senator. 

		Everyone's life has struggles. Every family has its challenges.
No one knows what really goes on behind closed doors. As much as we recognize
this to be true, there are days when we feel overwhelmed, days when it all seems
too much. I was having one of those days recently -- capped off by my two
youngest children absolutely refusing to spend another moment at day camp! --
when I happened across the last page of the Aug/Sept issue of Pink magazine.

		It was a brief interview with a woman who is running for New
York State senator. No surprise there -- this is a magazine that celebrates the
accomplishments of women in the workforce. What was striking was the bio of the
woman running. Not your standard political hack, Brooke Ellison is a
quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down.

		Yet her story is one of constant triumph. She was struck by a
car on her way home from school in 7th grade, she can't breathe without a
respirator, yet she went on to get two degrees from Harvard and is presently
working on her Ph.D. at Stony Brook.

				While at Harvard she delivered the commencement
address where she realized her power to move people. I didn't hear the words or
see the text but while she may be an articulate speaker, I'm guessing that her
real eloquence lies in her example.

		I'm guessing that everyone was moved by her determination in the
face of such obstacles. What's the most striking of all (and what puts me to
shame) is her optimism, her good nature, her boundless cheer.

		While us lesser mortals are frequently thrown by broken washing
machines and errant housekeepers, Brooke Ellison perseveres undaunted. (I'm sure
she has her moments, but so do we!)

		She drives her wheelchair through a device operated by her
tongue. In fact she seems to use her tongue and the gift of speech exactly as
the Almighty intended -- as a way of helping others. When speech is one the only
gifts you have, I suspect you use it wisely (and I doubt you waste any of it on
gossip!)

		Ms. Ellison comments that she lives her life with hope. Despite
her challenges she's focused on the positive. As she says, "I can't move my body
but I can move people."

		She's certainly moved me. The cracked walls and crumbling paint
seem a lot less important. Even the sound of whining children is music to my
ears.well, I'm working on it!

		This article can also be read at:
http://www.aish.com/momBlog/momBlogDefault/Unimaginable_Perseverance.asp 

		Author Biography:
		Emuna Braverman has a law degree from the University of Toronto
and a Masters in Psychology from Pepperdine University. She lives with her
husband and nine children in Los Angeles where they both work for Aish HaTorah.
When she isn't writing for the internet or taking care of her family, Emuna
teaches classes on Judaism, organizes gourmet kosher cooking groups and hosts
many shabbos guests. 
		
		

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